Focke-Wulf Fw 193 Hellhound

The distinctive forward-swept wing profile of this unique German aircraft has become an increasingly common sight in the skies over the North America. Though predominantly used in Europe, the Focke-Wulf Hellhound is gradually gaining acceptance by militias and private security firms on the other side of the Atlantic, despite the plane's hefty price tag and maintenance requirements.

The Hellhound was one of the first combat planes released under the German militia program of the early 1930s. The Hellhound was intended to serve in an anti-pirate role, and has the firepower and versatility to overwhelm the Central European air pirates that once plagued the under-armed German nation.

The Hellhound was designed under the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, which restricted aircraft to the equivalent of .30- and .40-caliber machine guns, so the German designers put as many lighter machine guns on it as they could fit, including a .30-caliber turret. There was no treaty restriction on rocket hard-points, however, and the Hellhound can carry a devastating payload of eight rockets or other munitions.

The Hellhound is exported to the ISA, is in the service of some private and corporate militias, and is currently undergoing evaluation in the Republic of Texas for service with the Texas Air Rangers. The I.S.A. and other American militias have made various modifications usually to up-gun the Hellhound's firepower, but no clear trend has evolved. Currently, many speculate that a syndicate of arms and aviation manufacturers based in the ISA plan to license the design and begin building "home-grown" Hellhounds by 1939.